Maswanganyi confirms letter to Prasa board, won't reveal its contents

Cape Town – Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi on Tuesday confirmed he wrote a letter to the Prasa board, but refused to divulge whether the missive had asked board members to supply him with reasons why they should not be suspended.

"...the letter remains a private and confidential correspondence between the Minister as a shareholder and the Prasa Board of control. At the appropriate time, the Minister will communicate further on the matter," a statement from Maswanganyi's office said.

eNCA on Tuesday published a letter reportedly signed by the minister in which he gave board members seven days to provide him with reasons why they should stay in their posts. The letter also purportedly claimed that the minister intended to terminate the board.

Maswanganyi's predecessor Dipuo Peters fired board members in March, just two weeks after it removed acting chief executive Collins Letsoalo for giving himself a 350% pay hike.

The board members were, however, reinstated in April after the high court in Pretoria ruled Peters' decision was unlawful as she did not give the board members a chance to defend themselves.